Improvement in spice-boxes



J. H. ADAMS.

SPICE-BOX.

Patented 0ct.10.1876.

Ne.18Z,985.

INVENTU JAMES R OSGOOD 8 CO BOSTON UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. HENRY ADAMS, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPICE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 82,985, dated October 10, 1876; application filed June 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. HENRY ADAMS, of North Andover, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Im-. proved Agitator for Pulverous and Granulated Material, of which the following is a specification v The object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for separating the particles of pulverous or granulated materials usually contained within a bottle or receptacle having a perforated cap or cover, such materials consisting of salt, pepper, &c., when the same is liable to become hardened or caked so as to render it difficult to shake the particles through the perforations in the top or cover of the receptable.

The invention consists in the use, inside of a bottle or receptacle provided with a perforated top or cover, and containing the pulverous or granulated materials, of a small number of separate hard substances of diflerent forms and sizes. andof irregular and angular shapes,

. and all of a size too large to pass through the perforations in the cover of the receptacle. Such substances may be small pieces of quartz or equivalent material.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a bottle provided with apert'orated cap or cover, and containing the separating or agitating substances, and the pulverous or granulated material. Figs. 2 and 3 are modified forms of receptacles adapted to the same purpose.

The disintegrating and agitating substances,

. designated by a to, consist of ,pieces of quartz or equivalent hard substances, and are embedded in the pulverous material, thereby preventing the union of the mass in a solid cake, so that it Will readily break up into fragments, which the angular particles will effectually cut and break up until pulverized sufficiently to vpass through the perforated cap. In shaking the contents of the receptacle the agitating substances, being so muchlarger than the particles ot' the pulverous material in which they are embedded, will rise to the surface of the latter, and if so shaken when the receptacle is held upside down the agitating substances will fall to the bottom of the receptacle as the latter is again placed right side up, so that upon turning the receptacle to shake out the pulverous material the agitating or disintegrating substances will by their weight force down the mass of pulverous material, and, also, penetating the same, will thoroughly separate the particles. The impact, also, of the hard substances or a against the inner side of the cover will tend to free the perforations in case they become clogged, and the agitating substances themselves are kept clean by the attrition of the particles of pulverous material.

The receptacle for containing the pulverous material and agitating substances may be of any desired form or size.

The peculiarity of the agitating substances admits of their being used in an ordinary caster-bottle, which may contain salt, thus rendering-the salt-bottle a convenient adjunct of the table-caster.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination, with the receptacle A, having a perforated top or cap, of granulated particles at larger than the perforations in the cap, and contained within the body or main chamber of the receptacle, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. HENRY ADAMS.

Witnesses:

G. A. A. PEVEY, O. T. DAVIS. 

